UVa-Wise students honored with Tice Total Achievement Awards

Four students at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise were honored with the Tice Total Achievement Award during the 20th annual Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon on March 26.

Kesha D. Perigan, Caleb A. Greene, Courtney A. Coe and Clifton S. Diaz were each presented with a certificate of recognition and a $1,000 award.

The Tice award is presented to current UVa-Wise students who honor and encourage family values and community service, cooperation, creativity and scholarship. Faculty and staff nominate students.

The award is made possible through a generous endowment by Dr. Frederick Gordon Tice in memory of his grandparents and their children.

Kesha Perigan is a junior and plays on the UVa-Wise softball team. She has a strong sense of family values. She assists her parents take care of her five siblings while juggling a full class load, serving as a work study in the accounting office and playing on the softball team.She often leads volunteer efforts to help coach local travel teams, assists with the softball summer camps and volunteers in her hometown of Dante on the Dante Lives On beautification project.

Caleb Greene, a resident of Jenkins, is a junior. He looks forward to joining the Spanish honors society at the end of the semester.A double major in history and Spanish, his professors say he demonstrates the capability of becoming a bilingual person, a knowledgeable bachelor in the Hispanic culture, and a potential scholar with achievements in the humanities. He hopes to aid his Spanish professor with research this summer.

Courtney Coe is a junior and a psychology major from Abingdon. She plans to pursue a career in occupational therapy.She is a member of the volleyball team and is very active in a variety of charitable events. She has participated in several mission trips at home and abroad. For her contributions, she received the “Teens Making a Difference Award” from the Bristol Herald Courier.

Clifton Diaz is a junior and a communications major. He served as freshman senator and currently serves on the honors program, online editor for the Highland Cavalier and is on the advisory board of the Cavalier News Media.A resident of Manassas, he has been active in many community activities such as a police volunteer for Prince William County, a volunteer for Kindervision, which is dedicated to the promotion of child safety, and the American Red Cross.He is the recipient of numerous community service awards and honors.He also hosts and produces many programs for the college’s television broadcast.